Looking for a pool of ideas on how to support students and families. Apologies ahead of time, it’s a read. Here’s the context:

I’m: 31, 10 years into teaching at this middle school. It has grown to 400+ students, 7 bands and 3 orchestras. I also am a conductor with the area youth symphony, and have another 80 in that ensemble. It was a competitive process and I’m beyond grateful to be here now. Students often participate in both the youth orchestra and middle school ensembles if they’re able.

My partner and I recently moved into a neighborhood that feeds into my school; our end goal is to have a family in this community. This may be our forever home. We run into students and families on the daily, I cannot remember the last time I went in public and didn’t see a student or parent, and, we’re in a town of about 450k people. I feel VERY lucky that I am well-liked and that I also love the community.

When students leave my program they enter a two-level band and one level orchestra program (compared to our 4 levels of band and 3 of orchestra). On average, about 80% of students quit. This past year, I have just shy of 100 8th graders leave me, and at the last concert of the year at the high school, there were 16 seniors.

Families have been reaching out to me for years about this, but I struggle to respond. From what I hear from students: it’s just not fun. A lack of organization, slow rehearsals, and un-challenging music has folded in the program. Truly, my ensembles will do to large ensemble-fest competitions and play the same pieces as the high schoolers.

I’ve tried to connect, but I’m typically shut down. Not once have we collaborated without my high school colleague giving unsolicited advice. So: what do I do?

There is an established culture from our neighborhood to quit band after middle school. I’ve been fighting this for years, but, I feel stuck. Any help would be great! Thank you!

I will not be sharing the name of my school for anonymity but I will share that it is a charter school in Arkansas.

My family just moved to AR from TX. It all happened very fast because my husband lost his job but then got a good opportunity here so we moved. I didnt have the chance to apply for my license by reciprocity with everything going on so I needed to get a job in a charter school.

When they interviewed me for the job, they mentioned they wanted a person with band experience because the principal at the middle high school (they are opening it for the first time this year with only 200 students 6th-8th grade) really wanted a band. I told them honestly it wouldn't be a good idea this year because a band takes lots of planning and it was almost the end of the summer. I asked if it would be a collaboration and if he would work with me and my advice and they said yes. I took the job because it was the only offer I could get.

Fast forward to now, here is what is happening.

I attempted to meet with the principal to give him my proposed handbook and plan for the program. I asked him if it was possible to rework the schedule and make band a class. He straight up said no, and that I would have to commit to multiple weekly rehearsals AFTER SCHOOL. For all the beginners. I told him we can do that but the program would not be ready to play at pep rallies or do multiple concerts. He said "they will be ready, just maybe not at a high level". I tried respectfully telling him I would not be doing that to the students and to my reputation, and that it could be acceptable to do a winter open house demonstration and one spring concert.

He cut me off, said he had a meeting, and walked away. Another co worker says she thinks it is because i am a young woman. (This principal is older and Turkish. Many of our admin are also of this demographic and a lot of the women that work under them have had similar issues). The man refused to shake my hand or make eye contact with me.​​

He has been repeatedly using the existence of my stipend for this program to try and bully me into having rehearsal every day after school despite me also teaching K-5 music at the school next door and having a club of my own over there. He also tried to get me to open the band to 4th and 5th grade. I said no to both those things. I told him its ok if we don't start this year and we can build up the parent support and resources.

He has dug his heels in. He verbatim said "I dont care what it takes, youre getting a stipend and we are doing a band". So far we compromised on having an interest meeting where we will discuss the plan, cost of renting, etc. If we get enough parents, I have to do this. If we dont, I am afraid to see what he will do.

I have tried the following- getting his assistant to talk some sense into him and convince him to hear me out. I have also tried getting contacts from the area to corroborate my advice and plan with him. He has consistently steam rolled over everything I have said, to the point where I found a flyer on the bulletin board in the cafeteria saying I would be offering ALL INSTRUMENTS the first year and playing at MULTIPLE CONCERTS. This happened after I had already told him verbally and in writing we would only be offering flex arrangements and less expensive instruments to start.

I dont know what to do. I dont want to quit, I need the money. But this one principal and whole band thing is ruining my love for teaching. What else can I do?

I have thought about calling up the superintendent and saying "I dont want your stipend anymore, please amend my contract". Then I can go to the principal and say "I am not getting a stipend anymore, run it yourself".

TLDR- What would YOU DO if your principal asked you to start a band program and then refused to listen to any of your advice or hear you out?​

Hello I’m a first year teacher! I will be teaching 5-12 band and choir (with a 6th grade general music class). I start professional development over the next couple weeks. Any advice starting out the year? We don’t have a concert till the end of the semester and I don’t want to start looking at that rep right away. I’ll have a HS band, MS band, HS choir, and a MS choir!

I am a high school band director at a small school in SD. We are trying to start a marching program at a school that has never had one before. What this means is we have no real equipment. I know looking around at schools that are upgrading and selling off used gear is a great way to get started. What I am looking for is something I can put together to take to admin, community and grants that lists out basic needed equipment and estimated costs so we can start raising funds.

A little about the school and current program. We have around 200 total students in the high school. Currently around 25 in high school band. All these students started under a different director and we had a year without causing a lot to drop. The school has has numbers in the 60-70 just in high school band. My first beginning class is now in 8th grade and I have around 20 in each 6, 7 and 8th grade (around 50% of the class) we will be marching a more traditional style

I have 7 years of college band experience in a large (300+ members) so I do understand the size of this undertaking.

What I could use is an inventory list or a list of items you can't live without. Nothing is too small so I can calculate costs. Don't include instruments unless it is something "not normal" or accessories that most wouldn't think about. I know we will need carts for some things like bass amps or sound system equipment but honestly not sure where to look for some of that stuff outside the standard road case style (I used to run live audio for festivals so familiar with audio production and mobile equipment)

Thanks for any help in making this huge task a little bit quicker.

Hi, I know this is probably not the best place to put this but I’m desperate. I go to Pensacola High School and our band director just said that he has to quit due to personal reasons. He is leaving the school on Friday next week and the position was only recently posted. I, myself, and others want the band to have a full season with as little issues as possible, but without a band director after next week that will be difficult. Especially now finding a band director will be difficult due to the school year already starting so fewer people will be looking for the job.

So anyway my question for all of you is that if you yourself or someone you know is a band director please consider applying to be one at Pensacola High School, all of the students would greatly appreciate it.

If you have any questions I’ll try to anwser them, thank you all.

Middle school band director in GA. If you live in the South you know how August-October can be. My room is unbearably hot and humid. I’ve told administration about it and they’ve put in multiple requests for HVAC to come out and fix it but maintenance aren’t the fastest moving people in the world, and even then half of the time they don’t even fix the problem. Some kids have started to complain and get nauseous because of the classroom conditions. Any recommendations on how to cool down my band room?

Okay, I'm embarrassed to admit that I've taught band for 15 years, I have a master's degree in music education, and I've played trumpet since 5th grade band - and I thought legato meant "articulate gently, play each note full value". Apparently, this is actually the definition for tenuto! And when I saw the articulation of a short line underneath a note, I always said, "That means to play it legato." I thought tenuto meant something like legato, but putting more emphasis on the note, perhaps even stretching the time a little bit. Have I been wrong the entire time? Google says I'm wrong, Wikipedia says I'm wrong, but I swear someone taught me "staccato, legato, accent, and marcato" as the four main styles of articulation. Am I crazy?

I’m starting a new position at a very small, rural school where I will be teaching 5-12th grade band after teaching exclusively 9-12th at a large school.

The elementary principal reached out and said there were currently no students signed up for 5th grade band. There is an open house event this week where students can sign up for band, and I will be given one table for families to visit, get info about band, and sign up.

What all do you think I should have at this table? What handouts should I have? What can I do to make band stand out as the coolest thing ever?

Have a tiny bit of money and absolutely need backup clar and sax ligatures. How cheap can I go on these? I see 4 for $10 ones and $18 a piece ones. No name and brand name, respectively, of course.

These are the ones I hand to a kid who stepped on his or snapped a screw… until he can buy a real one. TIA!

TW: Sexual abuse.

I thought this is relevant to this community.

IYKYK...

1. https://www.appstate.edu/resources/August-2026-University-Statement/
2. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2026/08/06/ex-interlochen-staffer-forced-out-nc-new-investigation/91200725007/
3. https://web.archive.org/web/20260110205813/https://www.charlotteprideband.org/whoweare
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20260412165213/https://connselmer.com/education/clinicians/dr-john-ross

https://preview.redd.it/jbei72qaizhh1.png?width=457&format=png&auto=webp&s=38520e5db14ab02eb678387be8f26ce68d35dd3c

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2026-08-06

Statement from Appalachian State University on allegations involving former faculty member

Appalachian State University is sharing information with its campus community related to a former faculty member, John Stanley Ross, following an investigation that led to his separation from the university related to a sustained pattern of alleged misconduct. 

We know allegations of sexual misconduct are deeply concerning, particularly for those directly affected and for the broader campus community. The university is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and prioritizing support for those impacted. 

As part of the university’s response, Appalachian State is releasing certain personnel information related to the separation of Ross. While personnel matters are subject to legal and privacy requirements, to ensure a robust culture of reviewing and responding to allegations of misconduct, to demonstrate that the university does not tolerate misconduct, and to maintain a safe learning and working environment, consistent with N.C. General Statutes section 126-24, the university has determined that it is essential to release the following information:   

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Prior to the conclusion of the 14-day notice period required by Section 603 of The Code of the University of North Carolina, on July 8, 2026, Ross notified the university of his resignation effective July 9, 2026. The university did not solicit Ross’s resignation and intended to proceed with Ross’s discharge.  

University leaders and support staff are reaching out directly to impacted groups, ensuring community members have access to confidential support and care resources.  

“The safety of our students, faculty, and staff will always be our highest priority, and a pattern of misconduct that violates the dignity and well-being of our community members is egregious and completely unacceptable,” Appalachian State University Chancellor Heather Norris said. “When members of our community come forward to share their experiences, it takes courage. I want to emphasize that reporting concerns is vital to looking out for one another and to fostering safe and respectful campuses.” 

“Across every campus in the UNC System, our priority is learning and working environments grounded in safety, respect, and the highest standards of professional conduct and ethical integrity,” said University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans. “We stand firmly with Chancellor Norris and Appalachian State University in upholding these core values, where every student and employee is secure and supported.” 

“As we prepare to welcome our community back for the fall semester, we affirm our commitment to maintaining a safe learning and working environment for every member of our community and to routinely reviewing and strengthening our university’s reporting and support procedures and resources,” Chancellor Norris said. 

To report allegations of misconduct related to this or any other matter, use this form or reach out to the Office of Access and Opportunity: Equal Opportunity at 828-262-2144. 

Supportive resources and reporting options are available to the App State Community through: 

• Report a Concern: This reporting resource is designed to help quickly identify and contact the appropriate office on campus for their specific concern. Visit report.appstate.edu. 
• AppCares: App State’s central hub for wellness, health and safety information, and resources and support for the campus community.  Visit appcares.appstate.edu, or call 828-262-6156 if you need help finding a campus resource during normal business hours. 
• If you need non-emergency assistance after-hours, call 828-262-8000 to reach App State Police Dispatch.

 

Report any immediate safety concerns and emergencies on campus by calling 911. 

I just finished running the Standhope 100.

It took me 37 hours, 50 minutes, and 52 seconds to cover 100 miles through the Pioneer Mountains.

The views were incredible. The mountains were steep. Really steep. There were sections where it felt like I was climbing straight into the sky, and other sections where I was simply trying to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I ran all night.

I took more than 200,000 steps.

My feet were blistered and swollen from being wet for so long. By the end, I was so sleep-deprived that the rivers and creeks running alongside the course started sounding like classic rock blasting from somebody's stereo. I had laid down twice during the entire race, and both times I closed my eyes for maybe 30 seconds.

At some point, you stop thinking about whether you can finish.

You just keep moving.

And that experience made me think about something else I've spent a tremendous amount of my life building: band programs.

From 2013 through 2025, I was the organizer of the Standhope Ultra Challenge. When we started in 2013, it was one race with 46 runners.

By the time I stepped away, it had become three hundred runners, three races, six different start times, three different starting lines, two different finish lines, and 12 aid stations.

It took an enormous amount of work to get there.

There were years when I wasn't sure whether a decision I was making was the right one. There were logistical nightmares. There were things that went wrong. There were things that I thought would work that didn't. There were moments when I wondered why I was putting myself through it.

But we kept moving.

One year became another.

One small improvement became another.

One volunteer became another.

One runner became another.

Eventually, I could look back and realize that something that started with 46 people had become something much bigger than I ever imagined.

It remains one of the proudest accomplishments of my life.

And I think that's because building something worthwhile is rarely about one big moment.

It's about thousands of little moments.

That's exactly what building a quality band program is.

You don't start with a great band.

You start with a kid who can't quite make a sound.

Then you teach them how to breathe to a beat.

You teach them how to hold the instrument.

You teach them how to count.

You listen to squeaks and missed notes and wrong rhythms.

You celebrate the first good note.

Then the first good measure.

Then the first good song.

And eventually, if you keep doing the work, you have students who can play things you never thought they would be able to play.

But it takes years.

It takes stress.

It takes perseverance.

It takes making decisions when you aren't completely sure they're the right decisions.

It takes vision.

It takes experience.

It takes the willingness to look at something that isn't working and say, "Okay. What can I change?"

And sometimes, just like in a 100-mile race, you have to accept that you're going to have some really bad miles.

There will be setbacks.

There will be students who quit.

There will be parents who don't understand.

There will be administrators who make decisions you disagree with.

There will be years when the numbers aren't what you hoped they would be.

There will be concerts that don't go the way you wanted.

There will be rehearsals where you wonder if any of this is actually working.

But that doesn't mean you stop.

You keep moving.

Because eventually, you look back and realize that the little things mattered.

That sixth grader who almost quit but didn't.

That student who finally figured out how to play above the staff.

That kid who discovered that they were actually good at something.

That student who found a group of friends in band.

That young musician who came back years later and told you that band changed their life.

Those are the miles.

And those miles add up.

I think that's one of the reasons I love both endurance running and music education. Neither one gives you much instant gratification.

You have to believe in something you can't see yet.

You have to keep working when the finish line is nowhere in sight.

You have to trust that the steps you're taking today are building toward something that will eventually become meaningful.

And sometimes you're going to be tired.

Sometimes you're going to hurt.

Sometimes you're going to wonder if you're completely crazy for continuing.

But you keep going.

Because music education matters.

Maybe now more than ever.

We live in a time when it is incredibly easy to focus on everything that divides us. Politics. Religion. Social media. Arguments. Ideologies. Differences.

But put 50 kids in a band room.

Give them instruments.

Give them music.

Give them a common goal.

Suddenly, they're not Republicans or Democrats. They're not rich or poor. They're not athletes or academics or whatever other labels we put on people.

They're musicians.

They're listening to each other.

They're breathing together.

They're counting together.

They're making something together that none of them could make alone.

And maybe that's one of the most important things we can give young people.

A reminder that there is more that unites us than divides us.

The Standhope 100 took me 37 hours, 50 minutes, and 52 seconds.

Building things that matter takes even longer.

Sometimes it takes years.

Sometimes it takes decades.

But the lesson is the same.

Keep moving.

Keep believing.

Keep improving.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Because someday, you'll look back at the trail you've traveled and realize just how far you've come.